Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a honeycomb body configuration, in particular for catalyst-carrier bodies for purifying exhaust gases of motor vehicles.
German Utility Model G 74 01 002, for example, discloses a honeycomb body configuration having a housing, a honeycomb body disposed in the housing and having varying radial strength along its periphery, and a compensation layer disposed between the housing and the honeycomb body.
Honeycomb bodies of that kind have a plurality of channels separated from one another by dividing walls. The channels have square, rectangular or other polygonal cross-sections. U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,485 describes various cross-sectional shapes.
Due to the geometrical configuration of the channels and the configuration of the channels inside a cross-sectional surface area of the honeycomb body, a honeycomb body of that kind has varying strengths distributed peripherally in the radial direction. Those varying strengths of the honeycomb body also affect the breaking behavior and elastic behavior of the honeycomb body. International Publication No. WO 94/15712 discloses a honeycomb body having increased elasticity, wherein, in particular, the elasticity properties do not differ in different directions. According to the proposal in International Publication No. WO 94/15712, the honeycomb body has dividing walls at least in one outer region. The dividing walls are disposed and shaped in such a way that in cross-section through the honeycomb body structures which are rigid in the radial direction and/or rigid supporting structures extending in the peripheral direction are not formed by them.
A honeycomb body of that kind which is produced from a ceramic and/or metal material is advantageous in that it is not easily destroyed by forces acting through a housing in the radial direction upon the honeycomb body. That is because the honeycomb body has uniform strength radially over its periphery.
The theoretical problem of a honeycomb body being destroyed by forces which the housing exerts uniformly in the radial direction upon the honeycomb body is solved by International Publication No. WO 94/15712.